Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-09

| paid for the works of art it has at Washing
ton, and 1t approximates 81 ,000, 900. We paid
| Gle, 900 toward the Corcoran gallery, and
the naked statue of Washington in front of
the Capitol cost $4,000. 1t was money
| thrown away, for the statue is a poor one.
The Scott statue cost $77, 600 and Clark Mills
| equestrian statue of Jackson in front of the
White House cost &2S, 600. The groups of
statuary on the front OF the Capitol cost
more than $s7, 900, and the pictures in the
rotunda by Trumbull cost $32, 900. The
Washington street improvements since the
beginning have cost between Sc 00O, 900 and
81 ,00O, 900. and it would not be at all hard to
Lure up over $lOo, OOo, 600 spent in per-
considered, the talk Of removing the capital
to any other point is an absurdity. Wash
ington will continue to be the place of govern
ment for the United States as long as the
There is no truth in the report that there
was an attempt to kidnap Senator Sherman
while the senatorial party was in Cuba. The
country is in bad way, and the police regu-
lations of Havana are not the best. They are
good enough, however, to prevent kidnapers
from approaching the city, and there is q
large military force there under the command
of tho governor general. The soldiers of
Cuba are all brought from Spain. They are
gotten largely by drafting, and are shipped off
against their will. The Cuban soldiers are
small, and the average height is not more
than five feet four. They drill well, and Cen
McCook says they are well trained. The
change of climate from Spain to Cuba does
not as q rule agree with them, and the NOR
tality among them is very large.
The Hon. Harry Smith, journal clerk of
the house Of representatives. is a great col
lector Of curious and rare books. He lately
came across little octave, entitled ''Illustra-
tions of Lying in All Its Branches He
bought it with view, he says, of sending it
to Tom Ochiltree, and he doubts not, he says
that Ochiltree will be highly interested in it.
You remember the story Of the encounter Of
Mrs, George Alfred Townsend with Tom
Ochiltree. Mrs. Townsend said: "Mr Ochil-
tree, do you know that my husband says you
are the greatest liar in America"
"Ah! no, | beg your pardon, Mrs Town
send" said the courtly Ochiltree, there are
three greatest liars in America, and il am
one your husband must be the other two.n
townsend, by the way, was here lately
He owns country seat in the mountains of
Maryland which he calls Gapland, and he di-
tween this place and Washington. He is still
engaged in novel writing during the intervals
IN his newspaper work, and he is one of the
busiest men about town l know. He tells me
novel writing does not pay, and I do not be-
lieve anything pays Townsend as well as his
So,OOO year at it for more than decade,
and he receives from it now more than
the salary OF the chief justice of the United
States His novels do well il they pay him
81, 600 apiece, and he told Inc once that he
got only 5000 from his "Entailed Hat" He
made 81 900 out Of book descriptive Of
Washington, which he issued about fifteen
years ago. But this book was sold by sub
sscriPtion, and the selling Of subscription
books pays as a rule best for the author.
instances OF this, and Mrs Logan has re-
profits Of wrhe Great Conspiracy.
Sunset Cox tells me that his muscles are
growing tough again, and that his health is
almost re-established. He spends every
pleasant day in the open air and devotes his
evenings to the theatre. He has been doing
considerable literary work during his con-
valescence, and he has about completed his
BOOK, entitled "The Diversions Of Diplo-
mat" He showed me last night several
reams OF manuscript and told me that the
loo CHARACTERISTIC illustrations. 1t will be
subscription book and will he issued by
Philadelphia firm. Mr.. Cox will make nice
'Ctle sum out of it. He is paid good round
'uin at the start, and is given q royalty upon
he sales He wrote much of the book at
Prinkipo, little island within fifteen miles
OF Constantinorle, rpon which he s"o~t the
summer. h~r. * las ano.ler ,ook under
way, but this will not be issued until after
The Diversions of Diplomat" has been pub
iE'heu. IL rclateS TO Tue humorous phases of
negro character in America, and Sunset Cox
says he feels better able to write such a work
y: >ua. u The acquaintance he has had
with the negro in his oriental travels, The
book will be full OF fur and fancy, and it
VIII probably be a great success.
l chntted with Mr.. Cox about the coming
congress and about his place in it. He told
me he did not expect to be the chairman of
the ways and means committee, and that he
would be satisfied with whatever chairman
snip or whatever place the speaker gave him
upon the committees He intended. he said
TO go into politics as business, and to do
what he could for the good of the country.
He is satisfied with his work as minister to
the Turks, and has left the legation in such
apple pie order and its papers so systemati-
cally arranged that his successor can run it
without trouble
lie will remain at Washington only a few
days longer, when he will go to New York
city During July and August he will take
vacation at the country place which he owns
upon beautiful lake in Sullivan county. N.
y. A rich friend of his owns this lake. and
he has given Mr.. Cox a beautiful little pla-
teau, formed of n rock which rises forty feet
above the level of the lake. and which gives a
magnificent view. He has called this rock
Sunset Rock" and upon it Cox proposes to
build a cottage for occupancy during his
summer vacations
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
RATTLE hNh-AIn<